Clary Kids

no cute title

2009-07-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows Isaiah knows this is a classic pose for him.
Here is Owen's current really happy face:)
Sweet picture of our Reese.
Isaiah playing his guitar, love this face! Notice there are only two strings left, it has been well loved.

Reese's birthday

2009-07-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've been terrible about putting pictures up lately, sorry! Since Isaiah's bday is next week, I thought I better put up some pics from Reese's special day. Of course we went to Chuck E Cheese. Then she had some friends over in the evening for a cookout and some cake. Reese and Isaiah really love Owen and want to include him in all the fun things they do.

Such a pretty smile!
So Big!

safety goggles

2009-05-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

He found a pair of safety goggles that had fallen behind the bookcase. Apparently he was pretty excited about them. I couldn't help but laugh when I went to check in on him after he had fallen asleep. All boy.

A zoo trip

2009-05-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

This is the children's zoo section. Every time we get here, the kids climb up on the animals and want me to take their picture.
She's growing up so fast!
Owen is so happy. He is content to just be where everyone else is. Guess that come with being the third born kid.

A couple of princesses

2009-05-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Reese on Easter as well. We went to a friend's house for dinner, and their daughter and Reese are less than a week apart. Here they are in dress up gear. Michael thought Reese looked a little like Elton John:)

some easter pics

2009-05-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

the kids had the chance to hunt eggs a few different times. isaiah wasn't really getting the hang of it, so reese was bringing him eggs and putting them in his basket. she definitely didn't grasp the greediness of trying to grab as many eggs as you can. at a church easter egg hunt, she got a few eggs and told me she was all done:)
cheese!
isaiah eating the loot. every time he found an egg, he just wanted to eat the candy.

Fun with the camera

2009-04-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

I was pretty amazed that I got a halfway decent pic of the kids all looking at the camera. I've been feeling pretty inspired to take a bunch of pics, these were taken this morning. I love my kids!! It's hard to tell how rotten they can be by looking at how cute they are in these pics.

Six Months Old (Okay, almost 7).

2009-04-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here's Owen sporting the onesie Nana made with his name on it. He's also showing off one of his many new skills. He could actually sit up before he could roll over (fatso:)). He LOVES to eat. I was actually thinking of holding off on the solid food, but he started crying every time we ate a meal, so I had to give in! At his 6 month visit last week he was 22 lbs and almost 29 inches. The funny thing is that he is so big, but has only gained 2 lbs in the last 4 months! He is such a joy to be around, very low maintenence, as long as his needs are met. I guess that comes with being #3. Enjoy some recent pics.

Trip to Sawyer Point

2009-04-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

I love this pic! Isaiah was in such a grumpy mood at the park. A whole week later I realized that he had an ear infection and it probably started this day. We actually have an appt with an ENT next week to talk about tubes:(
He wasn't miserable the WHOLE time we were there.
If Owen is out and about in the car seat, he is so content. He seems really happy to just be near the action.

Hanging with Daddy and Mommy

2009-04-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

Book time
Reese all dressed up in her princess gear.
Newsletter pic.
Princess gear-different day, same crown:)

All caught up

2009-03-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

Reese and Isaiah enjoying their first hot chocolate after playing in the snow.
This is Owen's usual expression when Isaiah gets near him. Isaiah loves Owen so much, but gentle is not a concept he truly understands.
A rare chance for Owen to hang out on the floor, usually it's a dangerous place to be.

January 3

2009-02-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

I realized I haven't put any new pictures of Owen. These are almost two months old already! He is such a sweet kid now that his reflux is under control. He's at such a fun age, interactive, but not getting into stuff or disobeying yet. And he LOVES his mommy, which is obviously very fun for me:) He is sitting up independently, but still doesn't roll over. He's a great sleeper and eater. Guess I'll be starting solid foods before too long. Sorry for the long delays, hope everyone is doing well!

Grandma and Grandpa

2009-02-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning

2009-02-26T16:23:00.000-08:00

This is pretty ridiculous, still posting Christmas pictures in Feb, but what can you do? Here is Grandpa as Santa. Funny story-after Reese had been hanging out with Santa, she casually mentioned that Grandpa was dressed up like Santa. No big deal, nothing odd about it. We all just cracked up! Maybe she's still a bit young to understand that it might be upsetting to realize Santa wasn't just Santa, but someone she knew.
Here's Reese hugging the pink cat, the one gift she really wanted for Christmas. Think she was happy?
Isaiah had a Car Christmas, here is one of the many cars he received. He loves them all. Cars and guitars are his two loves of the moment.

Christmas cookies, anyone?

2009-02-06T06:26:00.000-08:00

The next several posts will be from Christmas, since I'm so far behind. We made cookies for our neighbors, but don't worry, the kids had their own to decorate. They didn't touch the ones we gave away, especially since everyone had a cold.

it's working!

2009-01-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

Here's one of the first pictures I got of Owen smiling. He is at such a fun stage where he is smiling all the time now. He talks a lot too, and he has a really low voice. His reflux is SO MUCH better now. He sleeps in his crib at night time, although he still takes naps in the swing during the day.
Here's our Christmas pic that my dad snapped in our living room. We were amazed to have everyone looking at the camera!
Michael's graduation from seminary. We had to go outside when it was over and it was COLD outside! We are thankful for the chance for Michael to study at Southern, but also glad that part of the journey is over.

testing

2009-01-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been a while:( I had some trouble with Picasa, and then I've just not tried since, but Allison motivated me to give it a shot. These pictures are two months old, so I've got lots of catching up to do. Everyone is doing well, look again soon for more pics!

How many chins?

2008-11-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

I just had to post this one so you could see how fat he is. Nothing fragile about this guy!
This is a sweet one. He is 8 weeks old today. He is sleeping well, going about 6 hours at night, which is wonderful. We're beginning to wonder if he doesn't have reflux though. He doesn't cry as much as Isaiah did, but he definitely seems really unhappy after he eats, and he can only sleep sitting up. We go to the doctor in a week and a half, we'll see what she thinks. Owen and I are headed to Lousville tomorrow for baby showers for some friends. Hopefully he will sleep well and not disrupt the showers!

The Big Kids

2008-11-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

When did Reese and Isaiah become 'the big kids'? It's crazy, but that's what we call them now. I'll take Owen and Michael will take the big kids. Here are some pics of the kids with Reese's crown. This is one of the best pics of Reese that we've gotten in a long time. A genuine smile seems so hard to come by in a picture. This was the day I got them dressed in their costumes to go to library story hour, only to realize we had a dead battery in the car. Bummer.
Isaiah has a hard time distinguishing what is proper boy dress up clothes. He loves to use purses and wear Reese's crown. I bought him a backpack for his cars, but he still prefers a basket or purse:)
Sometimes Reese doesn't wake up from a nap well. If she is just out of control, we send her back to bed. This is how I found her one afternoon this week. Doesn't she look so big?
Here are my boys. Look how fat Owen is! Does he look like he's only 8 weeks old?

Lounging in strange places

2008-10-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

The other day, when Michael went to get Isaiah up from his nap, he couldn't find him. This is where he discovered him, asleep under Reese's bed, with his beloved guitar:)

Here's Reese enjoying the new Ottoman that we bought as our coffee table. It is just as much fun to play inside as it is functional on the outside.

Halloween preview

2008-10-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the zoo for their Halloween event. The kids were SO EXCITED about the candy, which was few and far between. I'm sure they will love going trick-or-treating. And how fun is this-my best friend from elementary school lives here in Cincinnati. We would go trick-or-treating together, and on Friday night we are going to her house to spend Halloween with her family.
One game Daddy loves to play with the kids is 'Heros', where they dress up and run around the house. I thought Isaiah would enjoy a 'Hero' costume this year, and although he has no idea who Superman is, he loves that he is a hero.
And Reese is a princess, of course. I remember going to the zoo last year and seeing all the girls dressed as princesses. Reese was a Care Bear, but this year I knew she would love being a princess. She wears dress up clothes all the time, so I'm sure this outfit will get a lot of use over the coming months.

Owen Update

2008-10-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

Owen had his one month check up on Tuesday. We were shocked to learn he had gained FIVE POUNDS in four weeks! He was 12lbs15oz and almost 23inches. He caught his first cold from the other kids, which resulted in a grumpy baby that didn't sleep well for about a week. We went to Louisville last weekend, which was our first trip as a family of five. Our friends Andrea and James were gracious to host us, unfortunately it was a rough night! But after three days of only getting 4 hours of sleep, Owen has done several nights of going over 5 hours between feedings. I am so excited! Reese was a great sleeper, but Isaiah took months to go that long between feedings. Owen continues to be a good baby who really enjoys being held. His biggest problem is he seems to always choose to be VERY fussy whenever it is time for the rest of us to eat dinner:)

Pics of the week

2008-10-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Owen has his first cold. He seems to be feeling okay, but he is totally hoarse. It's not all bad though, since his cries are almost totally silent! I can tell he's grown so much over the last month. He goes to the doctor on Tuesday for his one month visit. He has been sleeping some long stretches at night, last night he slept almost five hours! He is a really good baby, holding him fixes most all of his problems.
Today we went to a farm to pick pumpkins and take a tractor ride. The kids had a great time. It was interesting though, they explored and played very independently of each other. I took Reese and Michael took Isaiah. Maybe it's because they play together all the time at home, it was fun to get out and do their own thing.
A local police and fire department had a fire engine, police car, and motorcycle there. As you can imagine, Isaiah was VERY excited about it, he is all boy when it comes to stuff like that.

A few more...

2008-10-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

It seems like Owen might be as cuddly as Isaiah. He seems happy as long as he is fed and being held.
Here are pictures at the end of my mom's visit. She was a HUGE HELP and I don't know if we could have made it without her. Thanks Grandma!!
Isaiah loves his little brother. He always wants to hug and hold him. When he kisses him, he will take the pacifier out so that he can kiss him on the mouth. We'll have to break that habit when cold and flu season comes around!

Two weeks old

2008-10-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a half grin from Owen yesterday. It is SO HARD to get a good picture of a newborn. This is the best I could come up with. Hope you enjoy!
Sleeping in Daddy's arms

This was the best we could come up with for a family photo.

Meeting Reese and Isaiah

2008-09-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

Mommy with her three kids! Reese and Isaiah were SO EXCITED to meet their new brother. I had just read a Parents magazine article about meeting a new sibling. Our kids did better than we could have imagined. They couldn't wait to hold him and give him all sorts of kisses.

Reese looks so grown up to us now!
The men in the family. We girls are officially outnumbered!

Owen Michael Clary

2008-09-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

Owen Michael Clary
Born 7:02pm on September 19th, 2008
8.7lbs, 21inches long
Is he cute or what?

He's Here!!

2008-09-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here I am, very ready to be DONE being pregnant!
Calling mom and dad to let them know he is here.
Daddy and Owen

Pictures for my mom

2008-08-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

My mom requested a couple of pictures of our house. Much of our house is not finished yet, due to the fact we haven't closed yet, but here are a few. This is the front, we are the windows with the 'townhomes for sale sign' on it. So, the two windows that are side by side, and the door with the two single windows above it, if that makes sense.
Here is the back, we are the second unit in, so the stairs with the two chairs and grill in front. The first floor is the kitchen, the second floor is Reese and Isaiah's room, and the third floor is the guest/baby room.
Here's the basement, I must say it rarely looks this clean! These were pics taken for the appraisal.
Here is the other half of the basement and the bathroom. The other door is the storage room.

Isaiah's bday

2008-08-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from Isaiah's birthday. Of course we went to Chuck E Cheese. Every time we talked about his birthday, Isaiah would always say, "Go Chuck E Cheese!". I think the food was just as exciting as being there. We let him have some pop and he was SO EXCITED! So he had pop and pizza, and an ice cream cake later. He got many wonderful toys that he absolutely loves. Here you see him opening the Cars movie and playing with his tool bench. He also got a guitar and a lawn mower. I feel like I'm finally starting to understand what types of toys that a little boy likes, that seemed a bit intimidating to me at first.
Most of you know that Reese gets very upset if she thinks people are laughing at her. This morning at breakfast, I asked if she wanted more oatmeal. She answered, "Not necessarily". Michael and I tried to keep from laughing, but were unsuccessful, so Reese started bawling. Hopefully one of these days she will outgrow this phase!

Playing together

2008-07-31T08:25:00.000-07:00

Here are a few random pics. The first is from our friend Wesley's birthday party. Wesley actually came to visit us yesterday, and it was SO GOOD to have friends to play with! Obviously the next picture is from our packing days in our old house, endless hours of entertainment with boxes. And the last one is a random picture from the beach. Who knew how hard it was to get two kids to look at the camera and smile, and we're getting ready to add another one to the mix. Only 7-8 weeks to go! Hopefully we can close on our house in two weeks so we can get everything settled in before the new one arrives!

Memphis Kiddie Park

2008-07-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, Michael had to go to Louisville to take a class, so the kids and I went to Cleveland. We visited Memphis kiddie park, which was a place I have fond memories of as a kid. Last year Reese rode the roller coaster with me and loved it, but this year I obviously couldn't ride it with her. I wasn't sure how she would do going by herself, but she still loved it. She made a friend named Sophie who rode with her a few times. She even had Isaiah ride with her, and I'm not sure if you can see it from the picture, but he HATED it and cried the whole time. Isaiah, however, loved the car that went around a track, who would've thought? He kept going back and riding the cars like Reese loved the rollercoaster. Fun times.

Some pool pictures from vacation

2008-07-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of the kids at the pool. They had a BLAST jumping off the side of the pool into our arms. They had no fear. It was a bit exhausting for us, but such a joy to see them have so much fun. Side note, Happy 2nd birthday to Isaiah. It's hard to believe he is so grown up already. I'll post some birthday pics soon, we did another Chuck E Cheese bday and I made him an ice cream cake since the kid doesn't like cake. Also, our house still hasn't closed, so please pray that it does by Friday! Thanks.

A few beach pictures

2008-07-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

I wanted to put up a couple of vacation pics. Here are some from our mornings at the beach. Reese loved building sandcastles and really enjoyed the ocean as well. Isaiah took a while to warm up to the water and quickly got bored and whiny. Maybe the next time we go he'll be more into his time at the beach.

it's been a while

2008-07-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few random pictures to post something. I still have to sort through our vacation pics and put up a few of those too. Well, we are here in Cincinnati now, it's hard to believe! The last week has been quite the flurry of activity, now we are trying to settle in to life here. We actually haven't closed on our house yet, so you can pray that all works out smoothly! Our internet, phone, and cable gets hooked up tomorrow, so that will be helpful for posting pictures too. Hope everyone is well and I hope to get back to posting more regularly soon.

Why?????

2008-05-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

A month or so ago, I was mentioning to a friend that Reese had not begun asking 'why?'. My friend responded that Reese was a pretty black and white kid, and maybe she just didn't need to know 'why?'. Well, magically after she turned 3, that question started coming out of her mouth. And wow, is it exhausting. I used to enjoy taking just one kid on errands with me, it was much less stressful and a bit of a bonding experience. But now, all I hear is, 'why this', and 'why that', until I'm feeling a bit crazy. I'm glad to know she is developing normally, but no one ever told me how tiring it was to answer why questions ALL DAY LONG!
And just to add a picture, here is one of the kids getting ready for their trip to the beach. Reese keeps bringing me books that have ocean scenes in them, I think she is pretty excited to go.

Meeting Ronald McDonald

2008-05-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

As part of the Derby festivities, we went to a parade preview, where they had floats and much of what would be in the parade indoors, where you could walk around and look at it. Sounded like fun, really, it was mass chaos, but we did get to meet Ronald McDonald. I think I posted a previous picture of Reese with a Ronald statue, so I thought it would be fun for her to meet the real guy. It was very interesting. Isaiah took quite a liking to Ronald, and visa versa. There was a long line, but he didn't want to let Isaiah go. He even had someone get his camera out and take a picture of him with Isaiah. He seemed almost tearful and it made us wonder what his story was. It made for some great pictures though.
Isaiah's had us on our toes the last few days. I was outside during his naptime the other day and I heard him crying in the house. It isn't unusual for me to hear him through the walls, but as I went inside to investigate, it turned out he had gotten out of the pack and play and was crying because he couldn't find anyone! Then later that day, I ran bath water for them, left the room, came back and found Isaiah in the bathtub with all his clothes on! I'll post pictures of that one someday soon. And now he has another ear infection. But thankfully it's been almost two months, so hopefully this one will clear up quickly.

Chuck E Cheese

2008-05-23T04:42:00.000-07:00

Enjoying some of the rides at Chuck E Cheese. Here are Isaiah and Wesley, a friend we spend a lot of time with (her mom is the one who helped me with the cake). Isaiah and Wes are less than a month apart in age and are about the same size, which is fun because my kids look like giants around most kids their age!
This is a ride made for one, but they all decided to ride it together, or should I say sit on it, because it wasn't even working!
Here's Reese on the jet ski. It's fun that my kids still get just as much excitement out of sitting on the rides than actually riding them, saving mom and dad lots of money.
The drums are a favorite, as is the school bus. I sure hope the Chuck E Cheese in Cincinnati has a school bus, Isaiah's already been telling me that's what he wants to do for his birthday. It's fun, because I had many of my birthday parties at Chuck E Cheese growing up also.

Reese's Birthday

2008-05-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

Here's the cake that my friend Andrea and I made. Not too bad for my first attempt at cake decorating!
Reese is opening her 'Ariel friends', which are a bunch of Disney princesses. She loves to play with small figurines like that, so she was pretty excited about them. Go, Mom and Dad! It's fun to know your kids so well that you get them gifts they love, although I know that won't last forever.
Classic Reese. She is at Chuck E Cheese, but stops to watch the TV that is showing cartoons. What a couch potato!

An almost 2 year old boy!

2008-05-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

So, lately I've been looking back at Reese's 2nd year with regret. Regret at the fact I didn't realize how good I had it! I spent so much time worrying about her development (something that I rarely worry about anymore) that I didn't realize that her two's weren't really all that terrible. She was great at sharing her toys, she was laid back about most stuff that kids her age get upset about. She threw tantrums, but they were 'frustration' tantrums, not 'anger' tantrums.
And then there is Isaiah. He HATES the word 'no', he can't handle it when he doesn't get his way, all the way, right away, and he is into everything. Just the other day, we put him in his crib for a time-out of sorts. We look in on him and find him ON THE CHANGING TABLE, playing with his new sunglasses. Looks like he'll be going to a big boy bed a little sooner than Reese did.
Not that life with him is all bad, in fact, much of the time he is a joy. He loves to laugh, he loves to make his sister laugh, he is generous with his hugs and compassionate to others. He is a lot of fun, definitely much more of a 'people person' than Reese. It's so fun to watch thier personalities emerge and wonder what kind of people they will end up to be, and how they will use their gifts to glorify God.

Happy Birthday Reese!

2008-05-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

I'm sure every parent thinks it every year, but it's really hard to believe Reese is 3 already! She has definitely made our life much more interesting. She is a very unique little girl who always has us laughing with her unique way of expressing herself. She has an amazing memory and is a bit like a computer. You say one thing, and you know she will respond with the same comment she always says. One funny thing she does, every Sunday (for well over a year) when we hit the speed bump in the church parking lot, she asks, 'where's Catherine?'. A year ago I really worried about her development, she still does quirky things, but now I'm (mostly) able to love it and know that that's 'just Reese'.
Today we went to Chuck E Cheese and had a Care Bear cake that a friend and I made. The kids ate pizza and played. I can't think of anything they would have enjoyed more, except if we went to the zoo too. Maybe we'll do that in a few days...

Balloon Race part 2

2008-04-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple more pictures from that day. And an update on Reese, she has a cyst on her eyelid (not a big deal). She is taking antibiotic drops to try to heal it up. If they don't work, she will need minor surgery to fix it. What is up with our kids and possibly needing surgery lately? Well, Isaiah didn't need tubes, so I'm asking everyone to pray that Reese's eye would heal with the drops. Thanks!

The Great Balloon Race

2008-04-29T11:57:00.001-07:00

It's Derby week here in Louisville, so there are all sorts of fun things to do. One of them is the Hot Air Balloon Race. We got the kids up around 6:30am and drove to the Fairgrounds to watch the balloons take off. The kids really loved it, especially since we have a few books at home that talk about hot air balloons. Tonight we are hoping to go to the Parade Preview, where they have a bunch of the floats and clowns and such indoors, where you can view them without watching the parade. I'll let you know how that goes.

Kaitlyn's Birthday

2008-04-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

We were able to be at Kaitlyn's 6th birthday party last week. Here are Reese and Kaitlyn in their matching outfits, purchased by Nana and Aunt MeLisa. Reese loves her new hat! Although Reese is half Kaitlyn's age, Reese is only in one size smaller than Kaitlyn

. We've got some big kids.
Funny random story. This morning, we could hear Isaiah spitting in his crib and Reese saying, 'No Sir!' over and over again. Often they find something that the other one finds funny and they will just repeat it over and over again. It is really cute to watch them entertain each other!

Illness Update

2008-04-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you guys for praying. Isaiah does appear to be on the mend. I can say that because we were BACK at the doctor today (we went last week wed, thu, fri) because Reese now has her first ear infection also. She has been a mess since Thursday, and just last night I was thinking of taking her to the doctor because she kept waking up crying. This morning I tugged on her ear and she went ballistic. Can you believe it? So the doctor put her on a strong dose of Amoxicillin and we are praying that this will be the last trip to the doctor for an ear infection for either of them!
We had our first showing of our house tonight. Hard to believe we are really doing this! One moment I'm worried that no one will buy it, the next minute, I'm tearing up in the backyard, knowing we have a showing and someone might buy it. Craziness! We'll keep everyone updated on the stuff going on.
Thought I'd throw in a picture of Reese just to prove that she can wear a different hat:)

Isaiah's ears

2008-04-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, prayer request. Please pray that Isaiah's ear infection goes away. The doctor seems to think he's had the same one since the end of February, and it is resistant to antibiotics. I took him for three days of antibiotic shots, and that is the strongest thing available. If that doesn't work (and when the doctor looked in his ears yesterday, he was not very encouraging) then getting tubes is the only way to get rid of the infection. Obviously we'd rather not go the surgical route, hence the prayer request. He has been really miserable for the last three weeks, and none of us can continue like this, so if he's not better in the next couple of days, it looks like we'll be scheduling a surgery date.
On another note, our house if officially on the market! Talk about overwhelming. We were in Cincinnati yesterday, me to see my best friend, and Michael to do business stuff and look at houses. So now today we are working like mad people to get the house 'show ready'. You may wonder, how am I working like mad if I'm on the computer? Well, our carpets are getting cleaned downstairs, and I am attempting to keep the kids occupied. Please pray it dries quicker than the 5-8 hours he told us it would take!

A Winter Trip to the Zoo

2008-03-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from a trip to the zoo back in February. Before I had kids, I wondered why anyone would want a membership to the zoo, now I understand. First of all, they can only stand to be there for two hours, tops. To get my money's worth, I'd feel the need to stay all day. Second of all, the kids LOVE to go and never get tired of it. When it's been a few weeks of bad weather, Reese starts talking about the zoo every day, asking if we can go, even if it's snowing outside. When the weather is nice, we go about every other week. It's a great way to spend a morning outside and to get some time with friends too. These particular pictures were taken at the gorilla exhibit as we were stopping for a snack. One bad things about the zoo in the winter is the lack of places to stop and eat, because most shops are closed. It was fun to go this week and see the shops opening up again. Spring is here!

On an illness note, we just can't seem to keep Isaiah well. He has had 3 fevers in the last month, two ear infections with two courses of antibiotics. Ugh! Another reason to be excited for spring to be here.

We've been working hard to get our house ready to put on the market. Yesterday Michael painted our bedroom, and we have been packing up stuff to put in storage. We've found a condo we like in Cincinnati, so that has been motivating. We don't want to buy until we sell this house. Please pray all of that works out, it's kinda stressful. Thanks for checking in with us!

Big Girl Bed and No more stitches

2008-03-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Reese on her new big girl bed. She is very excited about it and it has been a really easy transition. She has done very well about not getting out of bed until one of us is in the room. Why do I have a feeling that it won't be that easy with Isaiah? Speaking of Isaiah, I took him back to the doctor because he has another double ear infection. What's up with that? No ear infections for either of my kids, then he gets two in less than a month. He seems to be feeling much better today, which we are all grateful for.

Reese got her stitches out today. She did great, only complaining just a little that it hurt. She was very excited to find out that she got a sucker when it was all done. I don't think she remembers anything about the actual procedure, and when we left today, she told me she had fun at the doctor! So much for her being traumatized by the experience:)

Playing in the Snow

2008-03-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

When my parents were here this weekend, we had over a foot of snow. We've never had that much snow the whole time we've lived here. Michael joked that my parents bring Cleveland weather with them when they come. We went outside and built a snowman and made snow angels. Contrary to what the pictures reveal, Isaiah HATED the snow. Michael had to put him on a chair so he would stop crying. Reese loved it and couldn't get enough. The last picture is an extremely rare shot of both kids looking at the camera. Before I had kids, I had no idea how difficult of a feat that could be!

Before and After...

2008-03-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me if this is gross to anyone, but I know a few of you were interested in the before and after pics of Reese's surgery. She will get her stitches out next Friday, so we'll have a better idea of what it looks like then. It is amazing how flat her back is now, that is the biggest difference to me right now.
She did great for the whole surgery process. It was much easier than I anticipated, surely due to many of the prayers that were offered on our behalf. Except for walking like she was drunk right after surgery, you'd have a hard time knowing she had surgery at all. The most traumatic thing part of it all was when I had to take her bandage off yesterday. Until then, I don't think it had totally sunk in that she had a 'boo-boo' on her back. Pretty amazing.

First Ear Infection

2008-02-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

Today Isaiah started screaming during playtime and just wouldn't stop. I knew something was wrong and pulled on his ears and he just wailed. First ear infection for either one of my kids, and he's got one in both ears, plus a temp of over 103 at the doctor today. After a nap he seems to be feeling a bit better, although he doesn't move off my lap for more than a few minutes at a time. Times like this make me very grateful for easy access to healthcare and generally very healthy children. We are so incredibly blessed.

And here's a cute Reese-ism: today she has been asking me, "Mommy, do you want to be my friend?". Too sweet. She has been very kind to Isaiah, bringing him juice and goldfish. It makes me so happy to see her being compassionate.

An Update

2008-02-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been a while. I started a post earlier this week and then the kids got up. We are doing well, lots of colds here and there, but nothing serious. Isaiah has developed an obsession with brushing his teeth. He goes into the bathroom and says, "teeth, teeth" and if I won't brush his teeth, he has a tantrum. His other funny thing is that he will pull his pants down and go sit on the potty. One Saturday, the first time he did this, we took off his diaper and he peed in the potty three different times. Now, I'm not up for potty training that young, but it is cute. Reese is loving the puzzle that Aunt MeLisa got her for Christmas. It has about 30 pieces and is the picture we used for our Christmas card this year. Reese puts it together about 6 times a day. She also really loves to paint with water, although those books are hard to find. And one prayer request, Reese is having surgery on March 10 to remover her birthmark. She will have general anesthesia, but will go home in just a couple of hours. A little nerve-wracking for us, but hopefully not too much for her. Hope everyone is doing well!

Look Alike?

2008-01-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

As I was looking through the kids pictures, it looked like they had a similar expression in these two. Do you think so? I often don't think they look at all alike, so it was fun to notice this one.
We got a new computer this week, so hopefully I will be better about blogging now that it doesn't take forever to look at pictures. We've been doing well, we're back into a routine after all of the Christmas festivities.
The big thing for Reese is that we've been potty training again and it has been going so smoothly this time around. Today we took a six hour trip to Cincinnati and she wore underwear the whole time with no accidents (and she even went #2 at lunchtime). It amazes me how exciting this stuff is to me now that I'm a parent:)
Isaiah is working on saying lots of words, mostly ones having to do with food. While Reese's speech was always very clear, with him it is context and LOTS of guessing. One of our favorite words right now is 'zipa' for pizza. He says things quite emphatically, repeatedly, but mostly unintelligable. He is such a cutie, but is always getting into trouble. I wonder if he's going to be one of those boys who is always into mischief at school, but gets away with it because of those blue eyes and adorable smile:)

Christmas with Chuck E Cheese

2007-12-31T10:01:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to Chuck E Cheese on Christmas Eve morning. The kids had a great time and seem to have more fun each time we go. Reese really enjoys the stage area where you can play with the cameras and hit the 'applause' buttons.
Here are the kids with a couple of their favorite gifts. Isaiah loves his ride-on fire truck, it is one of the first toys the kids have actually fought over. Reese is admiring one of her new Care Bears, the anniversary one, and I think it may be her new favorite one. I was amazed at how our kids were showered with an amazing array of gifts. They are definitely well loved:) Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Christmas with family

2007-12-31T09:50:00.000-08:00

A Few Thanksgiving Pics

2007-11-29T13:19:00.000-08:00

Loving her pumkin

2007-11-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Reese has been in love with her pumpkins this year. She got a pumpkin from Grandpa that he grew in his garden and another one at the pumpkin patch. She actually insists on taking it with her in the car and bringing it in the house. On a side note, it appears Reese is actually starting to smile at the camera again, while Isaiah is choosing to look away a lot. I guess it's just a phase.

Trip to Hubers

2007-11-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween a few days late!

2007-11-08T12:23:00.000-08:00

A Zebra and a Care Bear. Isaiah tolerated his costume very well, but Reese LOVES hers. She has the Care Bear to match, and she asks to wear it for hours on end. It was a great consignment sale purchase! What's up with the kids? Well, Reese had the stomach flu yesterday, but seems to be doing better. She got to watch lots of TV, including "The Little Mermaid" for the first time. She continues to be very curious, not asking the why question, but asking 'what are they doing, or what does this do?' all the time. Michael and I were talking yesterday about the phrase 'into everything' and how appropriately that describes how Isaiah is right now. From walking on the kitchen table to climbing into the bathroom sink and turning the hot water on himself, he is definitely keeping me on my toes. He is not easily deterred from bad behavior, moving from one 'no touch' to another and back again. Thankfully he's got that adorable smile and infectious laugh that keep us from strangling him! We've been having computer problems, but I'll post more pictures soon!

Old MacDonalds

2007-10-14T14:03:00.000-07:00

Reese often confuses McDonald's, Old MacDonald had a farm, and Donald Duck (I'd be confused if I was two also). So she calls McDonalds 'Old McDonalds'. Here we are on our way home from Cleveland, taking a rest at a playland. She gave Ronald a kiss too, but I thought this picture came out better. Maybe it's a new crush, replacing Andy from church.

A Drastic Change

2007-10-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Michael has been letting his hair grow out over the summer and finally decided it was time for a haircut. I cut his hair after the kids went to bed, and the next morning when Michael went to get Isaiah up, he kept crying. We didn't think much of it at first, but at one point, I left the room and he started screaming (much as he does when I leave him for Sunday school). Michael figured out that Isaiah didn't recognize him with his haircut. At first I was doubtful, but it was true. It took him about an hour to get over his fear of the strange man sitting in daddy's chair eating breakfast. Silly kid:)

Looking at the Camera

2007-09-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of recent favorite pics of the kids. Isaiah has a cold right now, but other than that, they are doing well. Whenever Reese gets disciplined, she asks me to hold her, but instead of saying hold me, she says, 'I want mommy to take care of you'. So sweet.

It's been a while

2007-08-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

I haven't taken many pictures lately, so I haven't had the urge to post much. As you can see, Reese is still loving her hat and my socks. She continues to crack us up. She gets 'concited' (excited) about lots of things. She also likes to tell us what color eyes people have, for example, my eyes are brown and black, while Michael's are blue and black. If I could only remember half of the quirky things she says and does every day.
Isaiah is walking well and into everything. He continues to be full of joy. He is pointing at things and trying to say anything you ask him to. He is really starting to enjoy books and bringing them to you to read. He got his first haircut last week and definitely looks less like a baby and more like a toddler. Reese and Isaiah are playing together more and more. Of course, that means more fighting too, but it is very cute to watch them kiss and make up!

I love a good deal!

2007-08-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

I found this kitchen at a thrift store for under $3! I love to get good deals and this one made my day. Even more so when I saw online that it retails for $60. Hopefully I'll score some good deals at the upcoming consignment sale tomorrow.

Reese's photo shoot

2007-07-25T04:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures Aunt Deana took when they visited. I love them. Right now Reese is really missing her daddy. She talked to him on the phone last nite and he asked her if she was obeying mommy, to which she correctly answered, 'No'. I am so glad I am not a single parent, I don't know how people do it.

Happy Birthday Isaiah!

2007-07-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

Isaiah had his first birthday party in West Virginia this weekend. He was very lucky to have all of his grandparents together with him to celebrate. Just this weekend he is standing well by himself and even taking steps by himself. He should be walking any day now. Today we went to Kroger to get a free cookie and an Elmo balloon. I think that was enough excitement for the day after such an action packed weekend!

Crying Sad Tears

2007-07-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

I don't know if people think I'm wierd for posting pictures of my kids crying, but it is a big part of their lives right now. I feel like these pictures do a great job of capturing how they are feeling (thanks Aunt Deana!). Isaiah looks just so sad when he cries. Here Reese is frustrated about her shoes. She has a love/hate relationship with them. She loves trying on shoes, especially mommy's, but gets very frustrated when they don't go on like they should. And for those of you who don't know, whenever someone cries, herself included, Reese says, "Crying sad tears".

The Zoo

2007-07-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from a recent trip to the zoo. We go a lot, but this was a special trip because we went with Scott, Deana, and Kaitlyn. Isaiah is just starting to notice the animals, while Reese knows the entire layout of the zoo, including the names of the wierd animals, like the addax, and her current favorite, the meerkats.

Last of the Hilton Head pictures.

2007-06-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

Reese absolutely loves her Uncle Scott. Here is a rare smile for the camera because she is with one of her favorite people!

A Few More Vacation Pics

2007-06-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

Playing in the Sand

2007-06-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few vacation pics to start with. Isaiah enjoyed eating the sand more than anything. Reese got upset once because she had 'sandcastle in her eye'. They both really enjoyed vacation and Reese is already asking to go again.

Side note, Reese has started answering yes and no questions, which is really exciting to us. I was encouraging her to play pretend with a big box last week and said, 'Reese, is this your house?', to which she replied, 'No Mommy, that is not my house, that is a box.'. Exciting stuff:)

No More Pacis

2007-06-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

So I decided it was time for the kids to give up their pacifiers. Isaiah was starting to drop his out of the crib and steal Reese's when he would help wake her up. So we went cold turkey on Friday. They are doing fairly well. Isaiah cries for a few minutes when we put him down to sleep, but that's it. We gave Reese a 'big girl pillow' for her crib when we took away the pacis. You can tell she thinks it's a rip off. She no longer looks forward to bed. She'll say, "No more pacis, have a pillow now" in this pathetic voice. She is in mourning. It makes us sad, but we were going to have to do it sometime!

A Few in the Meantime

2007-06-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

I still have to post our vacation pics. We need to put them on this computer and then sort thru them. Here are some pics since we've been home. Isaiah is starting to crawl on his knees and pulling up and cruising. He is really enjoying his newfound mobility. You can also see some of his new teeth in the pictures. Today we were outside and he was crawling everywhere in the grass and loving it.

Before and After

2007-05-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of our new kitchen floor and paint job. We're still trying to figure out curtains and things. Doesn't it look great?

Reese's Evaluation

2007-05-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I wanted to give you the update on Reese. She had her evaluation with a speech pathologist today. She thinks that Reese may have an auditory processing disorder, which means she sometimes has a hard time understanding what has been spoken to her, which is why she will repeat what is said at times. She does not qualify for any sort of therapy, they just said for me to continue to work with her to get her to answer yes/no and either/or questions and if I was still concerned in about six months to call them back. When she explained what she was thinking, it really made sense and explained much of her behavior. And Michael is pretty sure he has the same thing, having a hard time distinguishing from background noise and sometimes having trouble hearing what someone is saying. We are relieved to know that autism or anything like that has been ruled out. I feel like I can quit analyzing everything she says and wondering what's wrong with her. I really feel like the Lord answered my prayers in that I was confident in the woman's evaluation and diagnosis of Reese and that it is nothing too serious. Thanks to everyone who prayed and asked about it. We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends and family who intercede for us. God has truly been so good to us and we are beyond grateful.

My Kids love to eat!

2007-05-21T18:04:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from Reese's birthday party in Huntington. Reese got a cake shaped like a dog that was made of two cupcakes and a TON of frosting. She polished off the entire thing in short order, we were surprised she didn't get sick! Reese and Isaiah also loved playing with their cousin, Kaitlyn. They both thought she was hot stuff, as evidenced by the smooch Isaiah put on her cheek. It was so much fun to watch them smile at every little thing she did.
I remember being the big cousin once. My cousin Kelly thought I was pretty cool. Then a few years ago she reminded me, "I used to think you were so cool". I couldn't help but feel a little let down that she used the word 'were', but I'm pretty sure she's cooler than me now, and that's okay:)

Happy Birthday Reese

2007-05-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that Reese is already two years old! Here are some pictures on her new 'birthday swing set' from Grandma and Grandpa. She loves it so much, she now cries EVERY time we go in the house. There is also a baby swing for Isaiah, which he seems content to hang out in for long periods of time.

The kids had their 2yr and 9mo checkups this week. Isaiah is now over 24lbs and 30 inches tall. They are both in the 90% for height and weight. The doctor estimates that Reese will be between 5'8" and 5'11".

As you may know, we have been a bit concerned about some of Reese's speech patterns. She has a great vocabulary, but can not answer yes or no questions. She repeats much of what we say and things she has memorized from books. We are praying that it is nothing, but she is going to be evalulated by an Early Intervention Specialist soon. It will probably be weeks from now, but I'll let everyone know how it turns out. Please pray that she is fine, but if not, that she will get the correct diagnosis and treatment. Thanks for reading!

Clowning Around

2007-04-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

Michael let Isaiah wake Reese up from her afternoon nap. He had to beat on her for a while to wake her up, but then she thought it was fun that her brother was in the crib with her.
Helmet update: He is doing great and may actually only need to wear it for another month or two. His head looks normal and we are so thankful we did it.
Tri[ to the zoo. Isaiah enjoyed the bars more than the animals.
Trying to get a smile from Reese. We don't think this looks much like her, but it's the best we could come up with. Can you believe she'll be two next week?

sorry for the delay...

2007-04-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

We've been potty training, so that has taken up most of my time for the last month. It's been an adventure for all of us. I thought I was a pretty patient person until I started potty training. Any ideas on how to get a kid to poop on the potty?
Reese is still loving to dress up, so she took her 'necklaces' to church on Easter Sunday. She loved meeting the Easter Bunny, who was there for the brunch at the Holiday Inn, where our church meets.
We have been busy visiting family over the last couple of weeks. The kids have seen almost all of their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We even got to meet their newest cousin, baby Ryan. Reese was excited and liked to point out when "Baby Ryan is crying sad".
Isaiah is doing well, still working on trying to cut his first teeth at nine months old. He can rock on all fours, but still travels by rolling. His head is looking great, he goes back for another appointment next week, but we're not sure how many more months he will have to wear the helmet.
Guess that's about it here. Again, sorry for the big delay.

Third time I've tried to post this picture

2007-03-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

Enjoying some sunshine

2007-03-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Crazy Reese

2007-03-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of Reese with some crazy hair after a nap. The bottom picture is 'classic Reese'. We like this one even better than the previous one because she has on mommy's crazy socks.

Newsletter picture

2007-03-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

We took this picture for our March newsletter to show everyone Isaiah's helmet. Notice the Cardinal stickers. Not too much going on around here. Michael and I went to see "The Pursuit of Happyness" on Monday. God definitely used that movie to show me how much I have. Sometimes living on support I find myself wishing for things-a bigger house, newer car, hd tv, not having to worry about the grocery budget, etc. That movie definitely put it all in perspective. Not only do I have an amazing family, but we have never wanted for anything. God has always been so faithful to provide for all of our needs and so many of our wants as well. So much of the world lives in poverty, and in comparison, we are so wealthy. I've been praying God will give me more of a thankful heart and generous spirit.

Helmet Update

2007-03-03T18:19:00.000-08:00

Many of you have asked how Isaiah is doing with his helmet. He is doing great. He slept great the first night he had it and really doesn't seem to notice it is on. The hardest part is it does interfere with his peripheral vision, so he doesn't like laying on the floor because he can't see around him. He has had it for about 2 1/2 weeks now and his head measurements have improved 1/8 of an inch, which is about normal. We can definitely tell that his head looks more round. I thought it might be hard to see people stare at him when we're out in public, but I'm usually so busy keeping Reese out of trouble that I don't notice if people look at him or not. And just yesterday when I was with a friend, I had three people tell me that their children had to wear helmets and they were so glad they did it. That was definitely encouraging to hear.

P.S. His helmet is now decorated in Louisville Cardinals, I'll post a new picture soon. Go Cards!

Does the kid have personality or what?

2007-03-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

As you can see, Reese has really been getting into dress up. She can't manage small things, so I have a box with gloves, hats, and scarves that she loves to put on. She especially loves the hat that was actually for Isaiah.
The other day I went to McDonald's with a friend to let our kids play in the Playland. Every time I couldn't find Reese, she was at a table asking for 'Fries please' or she was under a table eating the fries that fell on the floor, or she was munching on fries that someone had kindly given her. One time I found her sitting at someone's table with FRIES AND KETCHUP in front of her. I was thinking these people must think I never feed my child! We rarely go to McDonald's, but obviously Reese has discovered that she LOVES french fries. Forget the playland, just give the child some fries!

2007-02-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

Reese may be almost two, but to us, she's still our baby.

Reflections on turning 30

2007-02-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, they changed how you do this, so I'm not sure how the picture will turn out. Anyway, I always feel kinda sad around my birthday, like it's supposed to be this really special day and it's not. But then I was reading yesterday in Psalm 39 "Oh Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am..." It was good perspective for me. It really doesn't matter if my drivers license says I'm thirty and I won't always look young. This is not what matters in life. It's so easy to get caught up in it, but I am grateful the Lord chose to show me that knowing Him and making Him known is what is truly important. And getting older means knowing Him more, and for that I am so grateful. And speaking of blessings, this picture shows my biggest blessings, a wonderful husband and two amazing kids. So much better than I could ever deserve, thank you God!

The Helmet

2007-02-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well, here you go. Here is Isaiah in his helmet. He got it on Valentines Day. He is working up to wearing it 23 hours a day. Today it was on for one hour, off for one, tomorrow is on for 2, off for one. Saturday is on for 4, off for one and that is the day he is supposed to start sleeping in it. Please pray he adjusts well to sleeping in it, he doesn't seem to notice it at all when he's awake. With his helmet you can really see how his features have been affected by his flat head, the left side of his face droops quite a bit. I was pretty shocked to see it, but it makes me all the more glad that we have the helmet. Please pray his head and face return to normal. Praise God for medical technology. We are going to decorate the helmet with stickers of some kind. Anyone have suggestions?

Battle of the Wills

2007-02-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

Today Reese and I (Laura) had a battle of the wills. She disobeyed me and after she is disciplined, she always needs to say, 'Obey Mommy'. Well, today she refused to say it. I was not going to give in and let her know that if she cried long enough she can have her own way. I was prepared to sit there as long as it took. We sat on the kitchen chairs (and had conversation and discipline)for TWO HOURS and FIFTEEN MINUTES before she finally chose to obey. Needless to say we were both exhausted and I hope we never have to do it again! I love her so much, but she is one stubborn child. Both my mom and Michael's mom say that neither one of us acted this way, so where did she get it from?!? I would love anyone's prayers for wisdom and consistency in training Reese, it is definitely a challenge.

2007-01-29T10:56:00.000-08:00

Just as Reese loved the Leapfrog Learning Table, so does Isaiah. he cries when I take him away from it. He is doing pretty well to stand at it by himself, but he still topples over on occasion.
Praise Baby, please. I want Praise Baby. Turn on, turn on, turn on...
Here is Isaiah enjoying sitting up all by himself. He is growing up so fast.
Mommy and Reese reading her Bible. She LOVES this thing and will sit as long as you are willing to read. She enjoys pointing out who is 'sad crying', happy, praying, etc. When we get to the page with Mary and Jesus crying because Lazarus died, she leans over and gives them kisses to make them feel better.

The Picture says it all

2007-01-24T14:09:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love that pouty lip?
For those of you who've been praying and wondering about Isaiah's head, we wanted to let you know that he does need a helmet.
It should take a month or so before he has it, and he will wear it for 3-4 months, 22 hours a day. We are disapointed with the outcome, but it also makes us so thankful for the beautiful healthy children we have. God has blessed us abundantly and we are SO grateful. Modern medicine allows us to fix something that would have been unfixable before. Although it's purely cosmetic, I'm sure he'll thank us when he's a teenager that he doesn't have a crooked head:)
On a side note, while we were there, I asked the doctor about Reese's strawberry birthmark on her shoulder. He informed us that it indeed would need to be removed surgically. Bummer. But it is outpatient surgery, and it can be done any time over the next few years. Our kids are definitely original. Two different colored eyes, a birthmark, a crooked head, and that doesn't even get into their personalities! They continue to make our life very interesting.

Sitting Around

2007-01-21T03:49:00.000-08:00

We've recently started putting Reese's hair in pigtails and it's very cute. I know this picture is a little fuzzy, but it was the best we could get.

Isaiah started to sit up by himself this week, right after he turned six months old. He is growing up so fast! His appointment for his head is Wednesday, so we'll let you know what the doctor says.

Christmas conference

2007-01-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

Here's the picture we put in our most recent newsletter. This is Reese and Isaiah at Christmas conference. Reese just had a bath and they were enjoying smiling at each other. They really enjoy interacting, but it is hard to get it on camera. Reese is a great big sister.
Here Reese is kissing her good friend Sam. His parents are some of our closest friends, so it was precious to see how much they enjoyed each other at Christmas conference. They are three months apart and have the same energy, meaning they love to run around like crazy! Reese kept asking for Sam all week long, it was very sweet.

A few other Christmas pics

2007-01-06T07:07:00.000-08:00

Here are Reese and Isaiah with Santa Claus. Reese didn't quite know what to think and Isaiah was so tired, he didn't even notice. But I think it was lots of fun for Grandpa, I mean Santa.
Reese got a bit overwhelmed by all the presents and took her new chair to her room to read a book and relax.
Isaiah enjoying his Christmas present, a teething ring. Next year it will be fun to watch him get excited about his gifts.

The Joy of Christmas gifts

2007-01-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

We love this picture! This is just after Reese woke up from her nap on Christmas day. She was so excited to play with two of her new favorite toys, a phone and a 'faffe'. Good job with the giraffe, Grandma and Grandpa!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2006-12-20T18:01:00.000-08:00

Cutie Pie

2006-12-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

Finally, a smile!

2006-12-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

After many many attempts, we caught a smile for the camera. She's enjoying the Bumbo seat, a chair we use to keep Isaiah off of the flat spot on his head. He has an appointment to see a plastic surgeon at the end of January. Please continue to pray that his head rounds out and that he will need no intervention to fix it.

What a difference a week makes

2006-12-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of Isaiah getting a breathing treatment when he was really sick with RSV. This was taken Thanksgiving day.

Here he is less than a week later, back at home and feeling great. This is my current favorite picture of him. Unlike Reese, he is very photogenic right now and loves to smile for the camera!

The Many Faces of Reese

2006-12-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

Try as we might, we can not get Reese to smile for a picture. I've taken so many and this is the best I've gotten in weeks. She thinks it's funny to run when we take the camera out.

We're starting to see more of the temper tantrums that come with getting closer to two. I'm not looking forward to them getting worse.

Here's a picture of Reese blowing spit bubbles. Many of you may know that Michael has the talent of being able to blow spit bubbles off his tounge. Like father, like daughter.

One of Reese's favorite books of the moment is 'Corduroy". Here she is sharing it with Isaiah.